domenica 20 luglio 2014

Shale gas: Sonatrach plans to start production from 2020

According "Algérie 360.com",
The Sonatrach plans to begin the exploitation of large deposits of shale gas in Algeria from 2020, with a production capacity of 30 billion m3 per year as a first phase, learned Saturday at the APS oil group.
According to a source Sonatrach "the testes made ​​after fracturing have identified that the rates obtained are comparable to those obtained in U.S. shale fields producing commercially."

She added that these results considered "very encouraging," proividing quickly transition to the pilot phase with a view to put this potential into production from 2020.

The same source states that the CEO of Sonatrach, Mr. Abdelhamid Zerguinea made ​​the announcement in early July at an international conference on the security of natural gas supply in the mediterranean held at Vallete (Malta).

Sonatrach also announced at the conference that it would begin operations with a production capacity of about 30 billion m3 per year as a first phase, the equivalent of national consumption currently, the source added, citing CEO of Sonatrach.

Algeria has the third technically recoverable reserves of shale gas in the world, estimated at 700 TCF (trillion cubic feet), according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

It has seven major basins containing shale gas, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) in collaboration with the U.S. firm Advanced Resources International.

To better assess this potential unconventional Sonatrach has signed cooperation agreements with major oil companies such as ENI, Anadarko, Shell and Talisman.

In 2014, Algeria has authorized pilot drilling for shale but has submitted projects for exploration and exploitation of this unconventional decision of the Council of Ministers